Introduction

Although I am not a Catholic myself, I had heard a little about the story of Lourdes at an early age. As a child, I always remember hearing stories of how people went there if they were very ill and if these people drank the water at Lourdes or bathed in the water, they were miraculously cured. Even though I had no involvement with Lourdes for much of my life, and had never seen pictures of Lourdes nor heard first hand descriptions, I had a picture in my mind of what Lourdes would look like. My impression of Lourdes was just one image. There was a large castle/cathedral type building in the background, trees all around and in the foreground was a pool of water, no larger than a village pond, where the people were gathered and they were either drinking or bathing in the water.
Many years later I would become much more aware of Lourdes and involved, and in 1996 I made my first visit to Lourdes along with my family and two very good friends from HCPT Group 72.
Even though my childhood image of Lourdes was not quite correct, as I look across the River Gave towards the Grotto, the picture is very similar.
On this Lourdes site, you will read about the story of Bernadette, about Lourdes and other places associated with the story of Lourdes. You will read about how I came to know and love Lourdes, and also about HCPT.
I hope you enjoy your visit here and that some day you visit Lourdes yourself if you have not already done so.